tortoise [ˈtɔːtəs]
noun;
any herbivorous terrestrial chelonian reptile of the family Testudinidae, of most warm regions, having a heavy dome-shaped shell and clawed limbs

Monday, April 11, 2016

A handy solution to protect your plants in your tortoise yard

Tortoises are little bulldozers. They will flatten plants by walking across and over them (again and again), or will eat them down to the root, permanently destroying them. In an outdoor tortoise enclosure, it can be really frustrating when your hard work (and money) gets eaten or trampled.

Lady, squishing a cranesbill geranium

I wanted to share the following quick, easy, and cheap solution with you: Dollar Store hanging baskets + landscaping staples!

Dollar Store planting basket, fastened down with landscaping staples

Get a couple of the metal hanging baskets from Dollar Store, and detach the chains. Flip it over, and place it over the plant you desire to protect. Then use 2 or 3 landscaping staples to fasten the basket down to the ground. This way, the tortoise(s) will be able to eat the leaves that grow out of the basket, but won't be able to flatten and destroy the entire plant.

Here is the kind of staple I use (but any kind will work):

Landscape staples example

You may consider adding a bright little piece of tape to each basket, so you can see it more easily - I've stepped on a few of them, squishing them accidentally.

I have about 8 or 9 such planter baskets, in addition to several other similarly shaped plant savers that I got from Goodwill - e.g. fruit baskets, cookie drying racks, etc. that I've installed in a similar matter, to protect the roots and base of a plant, while allowing the tortoises to graze off the leaves that stick out.

Some tall phlox, starting to grow this Spring

One word of caution: when choosing items to use for protecting your plants, be mindful of preventing tortoise feet from getting caught. This is one reason I don't use e.g. chicken wire structures.

Since the staples are 6" long, and the ends aren't really sharp, I wouldn't worry about it. There are so many much more inviting spots for the tortoises to dig in. They have tried to bulldoze their way into the planting baskets, but haven't focused their digging powers on them.

I think I have a tortaddiction. As in, I might be addicted to caring for and rehabilitating tortoises.

It all started with one second-hand Russian tortoise, then another. Then the amazing rescue of a little malnourished, neglected tort. A few months after that, two sweet old-man-torts (also Russians) came into my care. Next came a little mystery tort who turns out to be an Antakyn Greek tortoise. Then a few more Russian tortoise females joined my crew. Then I fostered a male Buxtoni Greek tortoise. Then I rescued a redfoot tortoise. Then another female Russian tort. Then I got three baby Marginated tortoises. Then I was asked to foster a pancake tortoise. I don't guarantee there won't be more in the future.

Since there seems to be a trend, I decided to start a blog about my tortoises' stories, and my blossoming tortaddiction.